Liverpool defeated Girona 1-0 on Tuesday to keep their perfect record in the Champions League this season.
Mohamed Salah’s penalty in the second half was the game’s lone goal.
With their sixth straight victory, Liverpool maintains their lead in the league phase standings with 18 points, five points ahead of Inter Milan, who play at Bayer Leverkusen later on Tuesday.
Girona is still in 30th place with three points. Girona lost for the fifth time in the league, but they made Liverpool fight for it.
They had chances to take the lead in the first half, but the visitors’ goalie, Alisson, stopped them.
After Luis Diaz was fouled in the 63rd minute, Salah scored from the penalty spot to give Liverpool the lead after they had been struggling against a team content to sit back and wait.
Liverpool’s pressure pinned Girona back in the first few minutes, despite the visitors creating two early chances.
Paulo Gazzaniga’s quick save from a close-range header by defender Joe Gomez denied him his first goal for Liverpool.
A few minutes later, the goalie also stopped a chance by Darwin Nunez.
With all of their players behind the ball, Girona was eager to launch a counterattack, and Liverpool custodian Alisson—who had not played since early October due to a hamstring injury—was quickly called into action.
Alejandro Frances received the ball after Daley Blind missed a cross on the edge of the six-yard box.
Alisson held his attempt on the second try and then punched away a shot from Miguel Gutierrez.
Girona reacted with a drive from outside the area by Yaser Asprilla, which Alisson parried away for a corner, and Girona gained confidence after Nunez had another attempt saved by Salah.
Alisson was engaged once more in the first few seconds of the second half, making a save against Arnaut Danjuma as Liverpool battled to overcome a resolute Girona defence before Salah’s penalty kick was awarded due to a foul by Donny van de Beek on Diaz.
In Liverpool’s most recent Champions League match against Real Madrid, Salah missed a penalty kick, but this time he made no mistake, hitting the ball into the bottom corner and the keeper the wrong way.
With Liverpool holding the ball far better than in the first half and departing the Estadi Montilivi with all three points, Girona never really seemed like they would be able to equalise.
